


Sharpe Enough ?

by HeatherGiesbrecht



Category: Crimson Peak (2015), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Ghosts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-25
Updated: 2015-06-17
Packaged: 2018-04-01 06:44:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4009852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeatherGiesbrecht/pseuds/HeatherGiesbrecht
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ghosts existed, but magic ? Surely this man was a charlatan.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Magic

**Author's Note:**

> This is a series of chapters and/or one-shots that will be inter-connected no matter how loosely. Updating may sometimes become very haphazard, but it will update. I hope you enjoy it.

Eleven years old Thomas Sharpe sat on the old, dark-red silk settee in Allerdale Hall's anteroom with his sister Lucille. Lucille's grey-eyes shone with repressed excitement as they met his. Two opened envelopes rested on a small oak table that was between them and the stranger. Warily, he looked up at the long-haired and bearded man who sat opposite them.

' _This Headmaster Dippet is a quack ! Ghosts, yes, ghosts exist, but magic ? Magic does not exist.'_ His conscience chimed in then, _'Are you sure ? Why else would yourself and Lucille suddenly appear in the attic after that ghost tried to choke her ? Magic must exist. If not that then what caused your bones to heal when old mare Nebula ran you over ? Lucille was sure you were going to die yet you did not.'_

When he asked, "What proof have you that this…Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry exists ?" Headmaster Dippet did not look off-put just as any charlatan worth his unearned salt would be.

The man ran a hand over his suit-coat feeling for something then pulled out a stick. Dippet mused, "There is a very old enchantment cast over this house. It repels near any outside magic or magical influence. It was this spell that foiled our attempts to get your letters to you so I decided to show up in person. I did not think it would take such convincing, but as the young Lord Sharpe wants. Lumos Maxima." When Dippet said the last words a beam of white-light shot out of the stick, err, wand.

' _That light would the ghosts be frightened of it ? If they were we would never need to run away again. We could take back the house.'_

Lucille knew his thoughts and, hesitantly, she asked. "I-if we accompanied you Headmaster c-could we learn to do that ?"

Dippet smiled genially, nodded and then the light went out. "It would take many years, but yes you can learn to do this. The first form of that spell called: Lumos is one of the first spells that one learns. You know, your father Lord William Sharpe was also a student at Hogwarts for seven years. It would be your choice to return here for the holidays or not except for summer break when you must."

' _Father went to this magical school ? The holiday schedule does sound reasonable, but what of school supplies and such ? We have no familiars, wands, books or other things.'_

When he asked such Dippet replied that there was a place called Diagon Alley in London at which they could get first money then supplies. A quickly added addendum that someone would accompany them to make sure that they were did not miss anything and were safe.

Lucille took his hand, "Oh please, Thomas, can we go ? I want to go as it sounds wonderful and think of all the things which we could learn."

Of course, she knew that he could hardly stand to see her upset and she wanted it so. There were also many possible advantages to going to Hogwarts. Slowly, he reached out to take the pen off the table, pulled his letter closer and signed it. Even more slowly still keeping eye contact with Dippet he passed the pen to his sister who signed gleefully.

With the signing finished, Thomas stood and held his hand out to the Headmaster. "I see no reason Lucille and I cannot or should not go to Hogwarts."

Dippet stood too and shook his hand, "Lovely, simply lovely. As said before I will have someone pick you up tomorrow to get your things. I look forward to seeing you both in two months time on September 1st. Your guide will explain to you how to reach Platform Nine and three-quarters for when the day finally arrives."

He and Lucille showed Headmaster Dippet to the door. When the wizard had gone Lucille hugged him, kissed his cheek and thanked him profusely. Now they merely had to wait for tomorrow, it would feel like a very long time.


	2. Beery

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since it's been confirmed the movie starts in 1901, Thomas and Lucille were born around at least the late 1860's so they'd be about twenty-something by the time of Crimson Peak. 
> 
> Also Crimson Peak posters are getting a bit odd, sometimes Thomas’s eyes look grey or maybe green, some light-colour and Lucille’s hair seemingly can’t decide if it wants to be black or brown. I’m just going to go with grey for Thomas’s eyes as Lucille’s also look very grey in the latest posters and black for Lucille’s hair. 
> 
> I should have mentioned last time that the Sharpes parents’ names aren’t known nor is how they died so I’m making it up with their deaths being caused by wizards. In my magical world they were Lord and Lady Sharp. Since in the muggle world we don’t know what their exact titles are, but considering Allerdale Hall’s location I’d hazard a guess that in the muggle world they would’ve been Baronet and Dame Sharpe, more commonly called Sir and Lady Sharpe. So Thomas would indeed be Sir Sharpe. Yes, I’ve been doing some research, maybe too much.
> 
> I’m also using some info from the Harry Potter wiki for dates, names of people and such and just making some stuff up. One of the things I’m making up is the Sharpes’ Groundskeeper Whitmore. Otherwise, none of the recognizable stuff is even close to being mine.

Thomas opened the entrance hall’s right door to see a five-foot some man in a black double-breasted suit and coat on the threshold. Said man was staring into the middle-distance and distractedly scratching at his blond curls under his hat.

_‘This is the best man that Headmaster Dippet could spare ? A half-wit if he possesses so much ? I should hope that he is better at teaching than he is at greetings. How long is it since Lucille and I left Allerdale Hall ? Three months what with Groundskeeper Whitmore’s bringing all our necessities to the door.'_

Groundskeeper Whitmore lived a ways from them on the grounds, but it was the old man who took care of the carriage and their horse. Far as they knew, Whitmore had only been inside the house when they could not take care of themselves what with their being too young at the time. When they were at Hogwarts Whitmore would not see the inside again for a long time as only Lucille had the keys.

_‘Two months before we leave for a year, but for holidays. Months spent away from home in a place that we don’t know. Can we even handle it ? Were it not that we get away from the ghosts and learn new things I would like this not at all.’_

A faint thrill as he startled the man, “You are Headmaster Dippet’s man are you not ?”

Quite red in the face the stranger blustered, “Oh, yes that I am indeed ! Ah, Professor of Herbology Herbert Beery at your service Master Thomas.” That last said with a half-bow before Professor Beery continued, “I’m here to take yourself and Lady Lucille to Diagon Alley.”

_‘I never did ask how we could get to London from here and go shopping in a single day. Are we going to go by train perhaps ?’_

He nodded and stood aside, “It is very good to meet you Professor Beery. Do come in and here as it will take a mere second for me to fetch Lucille.”

Professor Beery walked in before proceeding down the hall, past the anteroom on the left, to stand before the enormous lit fireplace. Himself ? Well, he ascended the dark-wooded staircase on the hall’s right side where Lucille waited on the second floor. Her pale-skin and the white and amethyst-dress were a contrast with her amethyst hat. Like him, she was rather nervous evidenced by how she first toyed with the chain of her silver purse around her wrist and how tightly she gripped the umbrella.

Lucille dropped the chain before wringing the black umbrella in both white-gloved hands. Slowly, she looked up at him and whispered, “Is that one of the Professors ? Oh, brother, I have doubts now.”

To reassure her he took her right hand and kissed her knuckles with a smile. “Worry not dear sister I will take care of everything possible.”

In turn, Lucille managed a weak smile, “You are far too kind Thomas, but I love you ever more for it.”

“I love you too Lucille.”

While he offered her his arm and she accepted, below them Beery was exclaiming about how lovely the fireplace was. Down the hall from them, one of the locks rattled and inside that room, a series of floorboards creaked ominously. They hurriedly, but trying not to show it turned and went downstairs. _‘Let Whitmore deal any visitors, we can do without ghosts for a day.’_

Beery exclaimed, “How lovely is the Lady Lucille ? More lovely than a million roses in full-bloom.” when he saw her.

That flattery bothered and annoyed him. _‘Etiquette or not she is my sister not some grown woman to wish for it ! My sister is beautiful without the need for wasted words.’_

Thomas suppressed a glare to focus on straightening his hat as Lucille responded in kind. Assuredly, he was much happier when the topic turned to how they would be travelling as they left the house. There was only a slight breeze and no clouds in sight, despite his eyes briefly stinging it seemed like it was a beautiful day.

Beery seemed quite willing to answer as they started down the path towards the gate. “We’ll be appirating across from The Leaky Cauldron by which we will enter Diagon Alley. Apparition is a type of magical transportation, which feels quite excruciating, but is very fast. We cannot apparate here because of the enchantment that is over Allerdale Hall, but once we get a ways past the gate, we will do so. Now, Thomas you will take my arm and then Lucille will take your hand. The most important thing to remember is that you must not let go. If you let go you may lose a limb and die.”

_‘Lose a limb ? Well, that does sound exciting doesn’t it ? Reminds me of that dead deer that I stumbled across once. I wonder how the creature had its face torn-off, clean down to the bone it was. More and more as time goes on I think a wandering ghost killed that deer.’_

Lucille’s grip on his forearm had tightened at the mention of limb loss. “Professor, did you know our father ? Headmaster Dippet said that he went to Hogwarts when we met him yesterday.”

“Yes, I knew him. He was very studious William was and he loved Herbology. Therefore, I was among some of the most saddened at Hogwarts to hear he died and so young too, not even fifty. Well, I suppose that can be one’s fate when one is raised by a Pureblood family, which is steeped in Dark magic. That is not to say that your fates will turn out similarly. No, you two seem quite well done by.”

_‘Dark magic ? Could such magic produce ghosts of its victims ? What does that word mean: Pureblood ? I wish I had answers.'_

Perhaps he had asked the Pureblood question aloud or it was merely a common question because Professor Beery explained. “Pure-blooded families are said to have all, or almost all, magical blood and no muggle-blood. That is muggles are non-magical people. Pure-bloods are like yourselves from old, wealthy families whether they have fallen on hard times or not.”

As he contemplated those words, a breeze swept past them carrying a bird’s sharp cry with it. This confused him as since there were so many ghosts in the house, few animals entered the grounds or they did not stay for long. Just then, a young fox slunk from the short grass and onto the path with an unusually large House Sparrow in its jaws. As it spotted them, the fox stopped to stare at them its white-tipped tail twitching like the bird, which was in its death throws. For an unseen reason the fox suddenly dropped its breakfast and darted into the grass on the other side of the path.

Despite the fact that they dealt with ghosts daily the Sharpe children had a rather queer fascination with death. This being so both Sharpes gathered around the dying bird. It got to its feet and started flapping its wings feebly, blood dribbled from the punctures in its chest to stain its breast-feathers.

In an awed tone he whispered, “Look at it, the poor thing it doesn’t realize it’s already dead.”

Lucille crouched to pet the bird’s head as the umbrella’s tip scraped the dirt. “Yes, but is it not beautiful ? It fights still even though it knows that it cannot win. Oh, look at its eyes, Thomas, how clear they are.”

He moved to his sister’s side and the sparrow’s eyes did seem very clear than again he’d never seen a bird this close before. _‘Indeed, one would almost think that it were a person.’_

Professor Beery looked awkwardly down at them as the bird collapsed. “Erm, perhaps children we should leave the poor thing to die in peace. Come now, we have much to do. We need to get Diagon before we can go to Gringotts and get your wizarding money.”

They got up, turned and continued down the path and out the gate. Apparition was a very uncomfortable experience - it felt like someone was trying to crush his bones, put out his eyes and make him violently ill at the same time. That before everything pushed inward more sickeningly still, when it stopped, they stood across the relatively busy street from a shabby looking place whose sign had a black cauldron on it.

Unlike Allerdale, London smelled like rain and its sky was covered in grey clouds. While Lucille took her umbrella off her arm and opened it, they waited for the other people to leave. Once the majority of people had disappeared from sight, the blond man led their way into The Leaky Cauldron.

The Leaky Cauldron was more warmly coloured than Allerdale Hall its walls were made of warm wood just like its many tables and chairs. As for the room itself, it felt crowded with all the women, children and men that sat around it, a general hubbub filling the air as he eyed it warily. Just like at home there was a fireplace near the door, beside the fireplace was an off-shooting hallway to a second wing of the place. At the far side of the room was a bar with many bottles on the wall behind it.

Since the professor was leading them along the back-wall it left he and Lucille look around. He looked back over his shoulder as they neared the back door to see people were…coming out of the fireplace ? Fear and wonder filled him. _‘How did they do that ? Will Lucille and I learn that, when ?’_

After exiting the door they emerged into a dead-end alley made of red bricks. Annoyed, he asked, “What’s this then, Professor Beery ? I see a wall and nothing more.”

“Ah, but things are not always what they seem, Mr. Sharpe, much less in the magical world.” Beery walked up to the wall and started tapping some of the bricks.

It startled him and Lucille both when the alley wall suddenly started rumbling, shifting and grinding as the bricks separated from the center in a circular motion until an archway had formed. Hundreds of people in robes and cloaks or suits and dresses wandered in and out of many stores. Physically, he stopped and, internally, cringed as two children of five years in ripped and dirty clothes ran past them screaming. Beside him, Lucille’s grip on his forearm had again tightened.

_‘What happened to them ? Where are their parents ?’_

In answer to his question a woman suddenly called, “Amadeus, Amaranth, come back here ! You need to clean up before going inside.”

Amadeus and Amaranth raced back past them shouting, “Coming, Mum.”

As the professor kept winding his way through the crowd, Beery laughed. “That’s Lady Hepzibah Smith of Godric’s Hollow. Amadeus and Amaranth’s dad is not going to appreciate their clothes getting wrecked, even though Hepzibah fixed them.”

Lucille half-turned to him and murmured, “They know not how lucky they are.”

_‘I would have liked to have more memories of our father. I barely remember what he looked like. Hogwarts, surely, must have some information on him and the magical part of our family as I found nothing in the library earlier this morning. Could one of the bookshops have something ? Are there any in the vicinity ?’_

His gaze darted to the shops directly around them, while he saw no bookshops he did see: Harrison and sons’ Barbers, Mason’s Magical Carpets and Eeylops Owl Emporium. The latter was what truly caught his eye; it was filled with rows and rows of owls they were in the storefront resting in cages or else stood on perches and such inside the store. _‘My god, they’re everywhere, I’ve never seen so many owls at once.’_

Excitedly, he exclaimed, “Lucille look at all those owls ! Oh, aren‘t they handsome ?”

Before he had even thought of it, he’d started guiding his sister toward the shop. One owl in particular on a perch in the store’s front caught his attention - a large barn owl with great onyx-eyes in its white feathered, heart-shaped face. Perhaps it was his imagination only, but it almost seemed the barn owl leaned towards him.

Of course, his sister agreed, “They are indeed, Thomas. Look there, there’s another hanging beside the counter, we can have matching owls.”

Professor Beery had returned to see what held them up and had obviously heard Lucille’s words. “Are you sure that you want matching owls ? What if you take each other’s mails by accident ?”

In unison they both questioned, “What of it ? We keep nothing from each other.”

_‘Better that we find out from each other than from the ghosts.’_

“If you two are sure. The bank is only a short ways away, we can get your owls later.”

He surprised himself by glaring up at the man, “I want to get the owls now and they may not be here when we return !”

“You will just have to get different owls then.”

Rather haughtily he responded, “Well, we want those ones and we will have them if I can help it.”, while Lucille and himself entered the mostly dark shop.

Along with the sound of hoots and screeches there was also the clicking of talons, rustling feathers and the fading bell chime to greet them. Despite only being eleven years of age the Sharpes approached the counter with enviable poise.

Behind the till, the thick-faced clerk gave them a smile that did not disguise his disdain and boredom. “Did you want help in looking for something children ?”

Lucille gasped her umbrella twitching as the barn owl swooped to land on the counter before them. Much to his displeasure the brown-haired clerk immediately swatted at the barn owl. However, the owl more then made up for it by lashing out and scoring the man’s knuckles.

Outside thunder rumbled in the distance as the clerk loosed a somewhat profane exclamation. “You damned, miserable, mouse munching, feather-bag o’ the devil, I ought a pluck and skin you. Matter o‘ fact, I think I will.”

Adamant as could be Thomas countered, “No, as a matter of fact, you will not !”

Turned to anger at his words the clerk straightened his slightly worn dark-blue, silver vine embroidered silk robes and let a sneer cross his face.

“What is a mere bloody-minded child going to say to convince me otherwise ? Oh, oh, sir, please let it alone it’s just a stupid beast. Is that it, muggle boy ?”

_‘Did he just dare to insult me, really ? Hmm, Beery said Father was raised by Pureblooded, dark magic wielding wizards and such. I wonder what that accounts for in this situation.’_

The barn owl turned to the clerk, lowered its head, spread its wings and hissed. Out of the corner of his eye, the insult was confirmed when he saw Lucille raise a hand to her mouth.

Just wanting to see the man’s reaction, he calmly said. “I am Baronet Thomas Sharpe of Allerdale, I will take this owl off your incapable hands and return later to purchase the barn owl resting in the cage which hangs beside your till. Is that clear my good man ?”

Such an interesting reaction it was: the man paled dramatically, wringing his hands while perspiration appeared on his face. On the counter the barn owl straightened, uttering a series of rapid hoots like it was laughing. Had it been a more appropriate situation he knew Lucille would have giggled from the man’s sudden switch in attitude.

Indeed she was stifling them when the man started babbling. “S-Sharpe ? Al-Allerdale ? My apologies, Sir Sharpe, I-I knew you not. O-of course, it’s as clear as crystal. In fact when you return you can have the other owl for 5 Knuts instead of 10 Knuts which is the normal price.”

_‘Only half-price for insulting me, half ? Well, who do I think I am ? His Highness Prince Edward of Wales ?’_

He gave a cursory look at his nails, unsatisfied he decided to have Whitmore take him to the barber’s later. Even more unimpressed with the man, he replied. “It will do.”

Click-click-whistle went the barn owl as it fluttered onto his shoulder. Quite happy indeed they turned and left the emporium into a slight drizzle.

Finally, Lucille burst into giggles, “Oh, brother that was quite entertaining to witness, thank-you for that and my owl. Tell me, what are you going to call your owl ?”

“I was thinking of Bartholomew.”

She chided him as they approached the professor. “Silly Thomas that owl is bigger which means it is a she. You cannot call a female owl Bartholomew.”

Drizzle suddenly turned to downpour while he tilted his head to examine the owl who had started preening herself. _‘Gah, that was cold ! Ugh, this is one reason that I do not like leaving the house. Inside you cannot get wet unless you take a bath. Huh, wait, her ? I thought the bigger ones were male, I guess that I was wrong.’_

The umbrella was moved further over him and he smiled, saying. “Ah, my thanks. You know Lucille that I paid not much attention to those animal physiognomy books. I think then that I shall call her…Bethany for the misery she gladly caused the clerk.”

Bethany rubbed her beak against his cheek, he reached up to stroke a wet finger over her gleaming facial disk. Beery raised both eyebrows at the sight of them then in disbelief, “She looks familiar.”

It prompted, “How can she look familiar ?” from Lucille.

Once again they started walking, passing another slightly crumbling, much grimier alley. Hung on a wall through the rain he could barely read a sign that said: Knockturn Alley. Besides the alley’s condition there was something in the air that made Knockturn feel similar to home. It was a stark contrast to the three-storeyed, snow-white building that they were slowly approaching. From here, he could easily see two marble pillars that supported an engraved marble slab that said: Gringotts Bank, two more pillars rose from that to a final slab that connected to the roof.

He was distracted from the alley and white building by Beery saying, “She looks like she is one of Ignatius’ chicks. Ignatius was William’s owl all through his school years until he was killed. It would be fitting for you to have his owl’s chick. Can you find Allerdale Hall, Bethany ?” Bethany whistled and took off into the bleak skies silhouetted by a flash of lightning.

As he stopped under the bank’s under-hang, beside two strange, tiny creatures in scarlet and gold Thomas found himself wondering something. “If Bethany were Ignatius’s daughter would that explain why the clerk wanted to skin her so badly ? If he knew Lucille and I’s father would it also explain why the man seemed scared of me ?”

Unless it were more magic he could not explain how the doors opened by themselves for Lucille. She entered while Beery hemmed and hawed, “It is possible. What did this man look like ? It could explain why. You see many people knew of the Sharpes but did not know them face-to-face.”

Lucille’s ankle-boots tapped on a marble-tiled entrance hall floor as she stopped before a second pair of doors then described the man. “Thick-faced, tan-skinned and brown-haired with a rather unpleasant demeanour. His clothes were of middling quality tending slightly more toward the higher-class.”

Beery and he followed her inside to see more of the strange, little creatures stood beside the doors. Idly, as he wiped a trickle of rain from his face, he noticed a plaque that strongly suggested it was not wise to steal here. _‘How lucky for us that we are not idiotic enough to swindle from any world, much less a magical one. They could have dragons for all that we know and I would rather not find out.’_

Yet more uncertainty from Beery before he answered, “That sounds like Pierre Pettigrew, he was one of William’s acquaintances. Pierre was in Gryffindor and William was in Ravenclaw. Sometimes I think that William would have done just as well, if not even better, in Slytherin. Pierre has a daughter, Enid, she’s going to Hogwarts this year too, I think. As to why he was working as a clerk in Eyelops I suppose that either he too is going broke or merely wants the experience.”

Thomas tilted his head musing on possible advantages. _‘If even Hogwarts library can not help us, perhaps Lord Pettigrew will have told Enid something interesting. We could possibly meet some of these other Pure-blood children as well to get some information from them and so forth.’_ “Perhaps if Enid is indeed going to Hogwarts we too can be acquaintances.”

Slowly, the second pair of doors opened revealing a much bigger, marble-walled hall with many dark-wooded stations and even more people than outside. ‘ _It can not be so terrible as to run away, it is only a bloody bank, after all. Take a deep breath, keep your chin up and don’t let Lucille how nervous you are.’_ Professor Beery led them to stand in one of the queues, all they had do now was wait until it was their turn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next up is the Gringotts vault, return to Eyelops emporium and a Madam Malkin either the one from Harry Potter since we don't know her age or that Madam Malkin's mother.
> 
> Oh, and just so everyone knows in the later years there could be Thomas/Lucille.


End file.
